The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-04

remember that when q people are
taxed. thsy have q right TO expect
thoss in authority 10 show for what
purpose they are taxed. / am unable
to see what benefit our people can de-
rive by the funding Of our bonds in the
future We are not cramped In
finances Our warrants are equivalent
to cssh. Our bonds are worth more to-
day on the markets OF the world than
the pset United States bonds, and is Il
not evident that the only par lies to be
benefited by the funding Of our bonds
are those who have the money to buy
them when put upon the maIkstt 1t
is duty that wa owe q tsxpaying
people to get rid Of this incub 1s
that has been go long fostering ca
10, atty. For.many long yesrslhsve our
people been taxed to pay heavy sale
OF interest on those bonds, and as ii is
difficult task TO teach the American
people to believe that II Is right to pay
any kind OF tax, when they do let
them know they get something in re-
turn. II the capitalist can make il
profitable by investing in our bonds
aud drawing this 8 per cent semi
annually, it certainly would be to the
interest Of the people not to be taxed
to pay that interest.
ASSESSORS.
You will be required today to elect
tax assessors for the ensuing year.
This is far the mcst important duty
You will be called upon to perform
during this term Of the court. In the
discharge OF this most important trust
let me urge you to know no man out
side Of personal qualifications. You
should cleo ne man on account OF per-
sonal friendship, and those whom you
do elect should, before election, be
required to come in open court and
| pledge themselves to examine every
piece OF property and the character II
improvements as the law directe. TIE
law requires them 10 do this, and
heretofore they have all taken most
solemn oath that they had done 70,
when it is notoriously known such
was not the TACT with many OF
chem. regret to uss such strong
| language, but 1t is historically
known that most of them have here
tofore almost entirely ignored the law.
1t has been the custom Of the cours
10 give these places to almost anyone
asking for them without regard 10 his
ability to discharge tho duties of the
| office, and men have often been elect
cd wholly incompetent. Many seem
| 10 care but little whether they follow
| the law or not, their emily object being
the pay. Many OF them have been ia
the habit of copying the old books
without investigating the value Of
property or the change Of ownership.
Look ut the valuation OF twelve lots Ia
Fort Pickering, assessed for 1885 at
S2770, and the same lots rec sntly cold
at $35, Boz 10 in cash. Gentlemen, this
| is a matter OF vital importance to onr
county and her varied interests. We
ought to have at lesst reasonable as
! sessment. It. makes no mans taxes
higher. The higher the assessment
| the lower the rate. The law requires
that sll property shall be equally as
sessed and a. It's cash valuation, bat IL
we ould get as much 80 three fourths
| OF a cash valuation our rate OF tax
would be reduced in the same ratio.
Our equity aud city are making rapid
strides In the increase OF population
aud the accumulation OF wealth. The
demands on our county treasury are
Increasing in the same proportion.
Yet, Notwithstanding all this, our as
sessmenis are about the same as they
have been for Ave years, when il is
well known the wealth OF the county
has almost doubled itself 10 that time.
The inequality of assessments has q
tendency to deter those who are fairly
Assessed from a prompt payment of
their taxes when their adjoining
neighbor is not assessed at half his
worth. There is properly in Memphis
that rents annually for near one.hslf
its assessed value. This should not be
the case. Hundreds and thousande OF
dollars are used in spsculations and
scarcely dollar OF IL assessed. Do it
far from me to ask that any man be
taxed higher than Ids neighbcr. II
man or corporation Is rich, let him
pay according to his riches; If poor,
let him pay according to his poverty.
Let each individual and each piece
of property and each dollar bear its
pro rats Of the expenses OF the
| kONOIhhAVht anu III
WoRKHoUsR.
Feeling that il is my duty b. make
such suggestions to you for your con-
sideration, as | baNeve TO be- for the
best interest OF the couuty,I woul rec
ommend that the position OF overseer
at the Wolkhouse be abolished and
that the superintendent be allowed TO
appoint and regulate his force under
him as he may see fit, 30 as to protect
and safely secure the convicts.
BY an order Of this court heretofore
made the superintendent OF convicts
has been relieved OF vast amount
Of labor by the purchasing for that in
stitution being invested in the Poor
hoGse Committee, thereby enabling
the superintendent OF convicts to de-
vote his whole time to the duties OF
his office. Should you do this several
hundred dollars can be saved the
county.
rEsraoUsR.
In regard to this institution l would
most respectfully recommend that the
position OF superintendent be abolish
ed and that the present man
sger be appointed general man
ager OF that institution at a
salary not to exceed S95
per month, and that he be allowed
the uss OF the place for cultivation for
his own use, and that he be required
to keep up the fence alone at his own
| expense.
We are now and have been paying
him q salary Of $40 per mouth, in adj
dition to the salary allowed the super.
intendent.
My reason for making this sug.
gestion Is that we have had no small
pox for several years, and cannot see
the propriety Of expanding money UNI
necessarily.
also think 1t would be propsr to
dispense with the Pesthouse ply
sician.
The late DR.. S. II. Brown suggested
to me before his death shat the pres
ent MANAGER have the entire control
of that institution; that he was an
H.. Al 4 Il